Impatiens plant named Quasar

ABSTRACT

An Impatiens plant named Quasar, having multiple flowering from leaf axil, vigorous, self-branching growth habit, salmon flower color with excellent keeping quality of flowers, flowering from two (2) leaf whorls at one time making it useful for pot plant use, and by its adaptability to various environments of use.

The present invention relates to a new and distinctive cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens, and referred toby the cultivar name Quasar.

Quasar was developed by me in Ashtabula, Ohio, through controlledbreeding by crossing Mikkelsen Seedling No. 82-533-7 (seedparent)×Columbia (pollen parent). Columbia is enclosed in U.S. PlantPat. No. 5,126. Asexual reproduction by terminal or stem cuttings takenby me in Ashtabula, Ohio, has shown that the unique features of this newImpatiens are stabilized and are reproduced true to type in successivepropagations.

The following characteristics distinguish Quasar from both its parentvarieties and other cultivated Impatiens of this type known and used inthe floriculture industry:

1. Larger, more vigorous plant than Solared (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,131).Plant size is similar to Columbia, Comet and Pulsar but not as large asTwilight. Comet, Pulsar and Twilight are cultivars of the presentinventor disclosed in pending applications.

2. Flower color is a salmon orange that is deeper in color than Meteor(unpatented) and Sunfire (unpatented) and similar to Sunset(unpatented). Flowers are deeper in color during the winter months.

3. Flowers have excellent keeping qualities and range from below thefoliage to over the top of the foliage. This cultivar flowers from 2 ormore whorls of leaves at one time as 2 flowers develop at leaf axilinstead of only one.

4. New cultivar is self-branching, and a vigorous grower having asemi-mounted growth form, thereby making it ideal for pot, hangingbasket and bedding plant use.

5. Leaf color is less intense than Solared, and leaf size is similar toColumbia. There is some basal variegation at the midrib, and the centralvein is reddish pink at the base.

6. Plant and flowers have good low temperature tolerance as demonstratedby being able to withstand two (2) nights of 2.2° C. temperature inearly May while continuing to grow and flower.

7. Flowering begins earlier than Solared and Columbia as Quasar setsbuds very quickly; similar in earliness to Comet and Pulsar.

8. The early flowering and multiple flowers at a leaf axil makes thisvariety excellent for hybridization work for pot plant development withfloriferous habit.

9. After several months of growth and flowering, the flowers nearlycover the foliage, as illustrated.

The accompanying colored photograph taken in March 1984 illustrates theoverall appearance in perspective view of Quasar, and showing the colorsas true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in a colored reproductionof this type. The color photograph depicts winter flower color.

The following is a detailed description of my new Impatiens cultivarbased on plants produced under commercial practices in Ashtabula, Ohio,grown in 5.5" green plastic pots during the winter of 1983-1984, anddescribes floriferous flowering and deeper coloring of Quasar under lowlight environment. Color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

Parentage: Mikkelsen Seedling No. 82-533-7×Columbia.

Propagation:

(A) Type cutting.--Stem 15 mm long will develop 4.5 long in 18 to 21days.

(B) Time to root.--8 to 10 days at 23° C. summer, 10 to 12 days at 20°C. winter.

(C) Rooting habit.--Large mass of fiberous roots from the stem.

Plant description:

(A) Form.--Symmetrical, semi-mounded, compact, self-branching, floweringherb, with pale red stems.

(B) Habit of growth.--Vigorous, self-branching, compact, with continuousflowering.

(C) Foliage description.--Light green leaves with a trace of variegationand a reddish main vein at the basal end. (1) Size: 6.0 to 6.5 cmlong×3.5 to 3.75 cm. (2) Shape: Lanceolate to ovate with acuminate apexon acute base. (3) Texture: Rugose upper side, glabrous under side. (4)Margin: Serrated, finely ciliated. (5) Color: Young foliage, top side137A, under side 138B. Mature foliage, top side 147A, under side 174C.(6) Venation: Pinnate.

Flowering description:

(A) Flowering habits.--Flowers continuously from leaf whorl inprogressive, orderly manner. However, instead of 1 flower per leaf axilthis cultivar has 2 flowers per axil thus doubling the numbers offlowers per plant. It takes 5 to 7 days from bud showing color to bloom;flowers last 2 to 3 weeks.

(B) Natural flowering season.--Indeterminant and continuous. Quantity offlowers increase with increasing levels of light intensity and duration.

(C) Flower buds.--Ellipsoidal, flowers perfect, reddish spur 3.75 cmlong on mature bud with throat behind ovary and originating from themajor sepal.

(D) Flowers borne.--On individual short pedicels from whorl of 5 leaves,flowering progressively around the whorl as leaves and bud develop (2flower buds/leaf with second opening after all five first flowers haveopened); flowers both above and in the leaf canopy.

(E) Quantity of flowers.--Extremely floriferous; flowering is continuousso that tight buds to mature blooms are visible at the same time inlarge numbers.

(F) Petals.--(1) Shape: Heart shaped, top dominant, all five petalsoverlap. (2) Color: Top side in summer when opening 41C, maturing to40D; top side in winter when opening 50C, fading to 48C-D (Note: colordeepens rather than fades.); under side in summer 41D to 43D, in winter48C. (3) Number of petals: Five (5) in number. (4) Size of flowers: 5.0to 6.0 cm.

(G) Reproductive organs.--(1) Stamens: Five (5) in number. (a) Anthershape: Hooded, 47C. (b) Pollen color: Cream. (2) Pistils (a) Stigmashape: Five (5) in number, segmented column, white in color. (b) Stylecolor: Clear. (c) Ovaries: Five (5) in number, celled 4 mm untilfertilized, green in color.

Disease resistance: No significant disease or insect problems have beenseen to date.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plantnamed Quasar, as described and illustrated, and particularlycharacterized by its multiple flowering from leaf axil, vigorous,self-branching growth habit, salmon flower color with excellent keepingquality of flowers, flowering from two (2) leaf whorls at one timemaking it useful for pot plant use, and by its adaptability to variousenvironments of use.